The headlines soured my morning coffee with gloomy news of “bleak economic reports,” “signals of recession” and a “housing slump.” Hmmm. Not good. Then a builder friend of mine mentioned that his remodeling business is picking up, while his new home construction is slowing down. Hmmm, again.

Money’s tight. The economy’s uncertain. It’s even an election year, for Pete’s sake.

Then, in a single afternoon driving around town, I saw a car with two plastic-wrapped lamps sticking out of the trunk, another with a rolled up rug in the hatch and a third with its backseat brimming with new bedding. Hmmm, what’s that all about?

Ms. Jones still has an undeniable need to nest. To nurture her family. To create a warm and inviting personal space that rests her soul and rejuvenates her mind. But there’s a good chance she’s stuck in a housing market that makes moving on or moving up unlikely if not impossible.

What’s a woman to do? Well, to quote a popular female comedienne, “If you can’t lose it, decorate it!”
What services or products can you offer that help Ms. Jones make the most of her shrinking budget in her fading home? What makes a big impact for small change – and still makes margin?

How can you make lemonade out of these lemons?